When winter hits, most people want hot meals that fill the pot and keep everyone fed without much fuss. Nourishing one pot meals work well at this time of year because everything cooks together, stays warm, and ends up hearty enough to serve on its own. They suit long evenings and cold kitchens.
This list includes the kinds of dishes that often show up in winter cooking. There are soups that simmer until vegetables soften, stews that thicken as they cook, and one-pot pastas and grains that soak up flavor in the pan. These meals rely on steady heat and simple ingredients rather than complicated steps.
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All of these nourishing one pot meals keep cooking straightforward. You add ingredients to one pot, let them cook, and serve straight from the stove. There’s less washing up, fewer moving parts, and food that makes sense when the weather turns cold.
Sun-dried tomato and chickpea stew
The first one pot recipe is this sun-dried tomato and chickpea stew by Kate Friedman. Chickpeas simmer with tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes, creating a thick, savory stew with soft texture and concentrated tomato flavor straight from the pot.
Find the recipe here.
Vegan chickeny rice
This one-pot vegan chickeny rice by Kathy Hester cooks rice, vegetables, and plant-based chicken together in a savory broth, creating a soft, spoonable dish with familiar comfort flavors and a cohesive texture that holds up well straight from the pot.
Find the recipe here.
Savory root vegetable stew
Kate Friedman’s one-pot savory root vegetable stew is bound to be a favorite this winter. Mushrooms, carrots, and turnips cook together with tomato paste, tamari, and maple syrup, giving the stew a thick texture and a deep, savory taste from start to finish.
Find the recipe here.
Spaghetti with lentil ragu
Next is a 30-minute spaghetti with lentil ragu from Romy London. Spaghetti cooks directly in a tomato-wine sauce with lentils, celery, carrot, and onion, finishing with wilted spinach, basil, and vegan Parmesan for a thick, tasty ragu.
Find the recipe here.
One pot curry in a hurry
Bettina Campolucci Bordi’s one-pot curry in a hurry brings aubergine, potato, carrot, and red lentils together in a coconut-based sauce, finished with peanut butter, fresh herbs, and greens for a rich curry that comes together quickly in one pan.
Find the recipe here.
Read more: 10 High-Protein Pasta Dishes
Vegan gnocchi bake
Romy London’s creamy one-pot vegan gnocchi bake is winter comfort food made easy. Soft gnocchi sits in a tomato and coconut milk sauce with garlic and herbs, finished in the oven with spinach and melted dairy-free cheese.
Find the recipe here.
Vegan mushroom pie
This vegan mushroom pie by So Vegan is made with savory mixed veg and mushrooms. It has a sliced potato lid and is set in the oven to get golden. It’s a full meal made for cold weather.
Find the recipe here.
Orzo soup
This Romy London recipe is an effortless tomato-based soup with added orzo. Orzo is a small pasta perfect for soups. This recipe takes only 25 minutes to make, and it has high-protein chickpeas added as well.
Find the recipe here.
Chickpea and vegetable soup
Like the last recipe, this chickpea and vegetable soup uses the same high-protein legume but in a simple vegetable-based broth. Adding lemon, garlic, and thyme gives the soup extra flavor when combined with all of those tasty veggies.
Find the recipe here.
Squash, lentil, and apricot one pot stew
Last up is Yasmin Khan‘s squash, lentil, and apricot one pot stew. The stew is high in plant protein and mixes rice, butternut, lentils, and chickpeas with plenty of seasonings for a flavorful dish. It pairs well with flatbread or sourdough.
Find the recipe here.
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